Smoke ash and bone
by Should'a worn a bell
Summary: The house groaned again, this time causing the house to shudder. She opened her eyes to survey the scene, only to come face to face with a pair of red eyes that glared at her through the cloud. But she did not feel scared.
1. prologue

**Disclaimer: i don't own Teen titans. i only own the myths i am creating.**

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><p>"<em>Some say that when a vampire is stabbed through the heart he turns to ash. Burning, setting on fire, and that he curls in on himself, like paper in a fireplace. That he would glow like embers in the dark, and that all that would be left was a wisp of smoke, carried away by the wind, never to be seen again."<em>

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><p>Fire. So much fire. And smoke, swirling in thick black clouds they curled through the house, moving like an enemy that couldn't be hurt, slowly, but quickly.<p>

Pressing herself into a corner she tried desperately to keep away from the silent killer. A loud crack tore through the air as the roof collapsed, the broken wood and plaster just barely missing her. Tears ran down her face as she tried desperately to call for help.

Her parents were in the other room with her younger brother, and it was unknown to the girl whether or not they were still alive. But as the thick smoke crept closer she could only think of one thing. It was the fact that she was beginning to feel calm. Eerily calm.

The choking cloud finally over came her as the house groaned again, warning its inhabitants that it would soon collapse. Coughing against the smog she prayed to the gods. Not only to them, but to whoever would listen.

The house groaned again, this time causing the house to shudder. She opened her eyes to survey the scene, only to come face to face with a pair of red eyes that glared at her through the cloud. But she did not feel scared.

"Come with me."

She shivered, watching the pair of eyes in a trance. Suddenly, she felt a pair of arms pick her up carefully.

The house groaned again, reminding them of the urgency. And, as quick as a flash, he was outside, just in time to watch the house collapse in flames. The girl stared wide eyed over his shoulder, tears still streaking their way down her face.

He stayed with her the rest of the night, comforting her as she sobbed.

The girl looked at him as the last of the flames were extinguished, studying him. His dark red eyes had shifted, strangely enough, to their almost complete opposite. A dark blue. His saggy black hair was falling in front of his eyes, forcing him to have to flick them out of the way every now and then.

He stayed until she stopped crying and her sister got there, coming home from a friends house. He explained that he'd been out for a walk and saw the flames. He entered without thinking and climbed in her bedroom window, which was left open in the summer, and rescued her before the house collapsed.

But something was strange with his alibi. And only the young girl who he'd saved noticed.

He couldn't have climbed in through her bedroom window.

Why?

Because her room was on the second floor.


	2. Chapter 1

**something i actually plan on finishing? i hope so.**

**disclaimer:i don't own teen titans**

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><p>"<em>While others say that they scream. Not the vampires, but the soul that the demon has tortured. The scream is of agony, and of loss, for most corrupted souls lived lives of insanity or confinement. And as they scream, their bodies die, finally getting what should have happened long ago…"<em>

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><p><em><strong>10 years later…<strong>_

Kori walked through the school hallway, carefully picking her way through the crowds of students. Clutching her books to her chest she kept her head down, ignoring the stares.

Today was always the hardest. When she was six, her parents and baby brother had died in a house fire. She had survived, only because a stranger had pulled her out and saved her.

She still remembered him. Stunning blue eyes and shaggy black hair, he was very pale, almost unearthly.

"Whoa!" someone caught her by the elbows, steadying the girl before she fell. Her books however, were not as fortunate. Scattered all over the floor were papers with drawings sketched out across them, in the margins of tests and on the back of flyers.

"Sorry… I am very sorry." She apologized, feeling her throat tense as it had that morning. She quickly began to gather her books. Realizing she was missing one, she searched for it, only to have it offered to her.

"Looking for this?" a voice asked. It was deep, but soothing. But the haunting familiarity scared her.

Looking up she saw the same dark blue eyes staring down at her as she had ten years ago. His skin was still sickly pale and black hair shaggy, hanging in his eyes.

"yes." She squeaked, taking the book from him. _No_ she thought _I cannot be him. That was ten years ago, and he looks the same age. Impossible._

"Cool. I'm Dick, I just moved here from Gotham." He smiled, holding out his hand for her to shake. She took it, not taking her eyes away from his. Was that familiarity in his eyes?

"I'm Kori, Kori Anders."

"Pretty name, for a pretty lady." He smirked at her. "Hey, could you show me where this room is?"

~S~

She waved goodbye to her friends as she continued home, listening to Bruno mars at top volume.

But in the shadows, unbeknownst to her, was another person. This one had Pink hair and cat like eyes. Watching carefully, she watched the red-head bounce to the songs, not realizing the danger she was in.

So the figure pursued her, preparing to drag her into the trees and kill her. She wouldn't feast though. No, she had to maintain some humanity. Just a broken neck, nothing more.

She stalked, closer and closer, until she was within range. Tensing her muscles she prepared to leap at the girl.

But something stopped her. The sudden breeze that stirred the leaves around her. She hissed. They were here.

Stepping out she bared her fangs at the girl, ready to kill. She was caught mid leap though, after being tackled by something…

"Jinx!" he hissed, holding her down. His red hair was spiked up, and his blue eyes narrowed accusingly.

"Wally!" Jinx hissed back.

Dick raced forward, stopping in front of Kori, trying to distract her from the fighting pair behind her. "Hey, Kori, how's it going?"

"All is okay, Dick." She replied, not really wanting to talk. "Is everything the okay with you?" she noticed how he kept glancing nervously over her shoulder. She opened her mouth to ask something else when a low growl sounded behind her.

His eyes widened fearfully as he yanked her back, standing protectively in front of her. Jinx growled at Wally, jaws snapping inches from his face as he held her against a tree, growling lowly.

Kori gasped at the sight, stumbling backwards. Jinx opened her mouth wide, but no sound escaped. At least, not that she could hear. Dick and Wally flinched slightly before Wally lunged forward, sinking his teeth in her shoulder. Her silent screeches ended quickly as she twisted and dug her nails in his skin, trying to fight without fighting.

"Come on." Dick whispered, yanking Kori away. But she remained frozen on the spot, watching in horror as the two teens tore at each other, scratching and biting.

"Come on!" Dick yanked on her arm again, tugging her away from the fight. She turned away to look at him. To look at the new kid who seemed un fazed by the fight. And what she saw was shocking. His eyes were no longer their soothing dark blue color.

No, now, they were red. The same red that she had seen all those years ago.

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><p><strong>i was listening to bruno mars while writing this. could you tell?<strong>


	3. Chapter 2

**it's finally a longer chapter! **

**Disclaimer: i don't own Pokemon.**

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><p>"<em>And in some stories, the bodies slept. Falling un-conscious when a stake was driven through their hearts, never to wake again."<em>

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><p>She backed away from him, shaking her head. This couldn't be happening. It was impossible…<p>

Jinx pulled away from Wally to his in his face, exposing her long, sharp fangs. It was like something out of a horror movie. But, Jinx seemed to have forgotten her mission entirely, and was now focused on Wally, who was holding her down, growling something to her in a hushed voice.

"No…" Kori choked. "No, this cannot be possible." She shook her head, backing up. She hit something hard and spun around, coming face to face with Dick, whose eyes were un-mistakably red. He grabbed her, yanking her away from the fight, dragging her along.

She struggled, terrified. What would these monsters do to her?

"Stop struggling." He whispered. And suddenly, she did, as the same eerie calmness washed over her.

"What are you planning on doing to me?" she muttered, feeling numb all over.

"Well first, I'm going to get you away from Jinx." He looked over his shoulder, watching as Wally let go of the pink haired vampire and watching her run off in the opposite direction. The nice thing about Jinx, if she says she'll go, she goes.

"Then, we'll find out why they want to kill you."

And she seized up again, squirming and pushing, trying to break free.

"Kori, listen to me." he said, stopping in front of her, looking her in the eye. "We aren't going to hurt you. Just trust me." the last par wasn't a question, but an order. She met his eyes again, searching them. She watched as the harsh, evil color faded, replaced by it's polar opposite.

Nodding, because it felt like she couldn't breathe, he scooped her up and began to run. Faster than a human, into the forest.

"'_Is it worth it?' people ask. But the creature keeps on walking. 'How did this happen' people ask, but the creature continues walking. 'Do you love me?' his love asks, and finally he stops walking. 'Forever, until my last day, my love.' He replies. 'Then why won't you change me?' he smiles. 'Because someone like you, my love, could never become such a demon…'"_

He skidded to a halt, meeting Wally at the door. "Jinx, is she gone?"

Wally looked away. "She left for now, but who knows how long she'll keep that promise." He looked down to his hand and adjusted a silver ring around his ring finger. "It feels like it's burning me, Dick."

"Then take it off." But Wally shook his head sadly.

"I made a promise to her. I won't stop until that promise is fulfilled."

Dick nodded before turning back to the terrified girl at his side. "Kori, I'm sorry. For everything. It's all my fault. But just hear me out. I'll explain everything." He motioned for her to come to him, and she accepted reluctantly.

He led her into the house, holding her hand in an attempt to calm her. "Hey Vic, Karen." Dick called to two people. Both African-American, one was tall and muscular, obviously not someone you'd want to get in a fight with, while the other was a slim girl with her hair done up. But what she lacked in size, she obviously made up for in spirit.

The noticeable trait they both had was their striking attractiveness. The man was handsome and alluring in some way, with his mysterious dark eyes. the girl was beautiful, with a tempting pout and mockingly attractive eyes.

Karen looked over at them and smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. Her eyes betrayed her, showing a grim expression. "You were attacked by Jinx, I'm guessing?" she tilted her head to watch the grim red-head enter the house.

Dick nodded before tugging Kori along, up a winding staircase, into another room.

This room had walls and floor that were made out of old oak panels, making it seem ages old. With walls covered in old photos and paintings, and the hardwood floor squeaking underfoot, it felt more like a movie than real life.

"How long have you been alive?" Kori asked, cautiously standing next to him.

His expression unreadable, he replied "I haven't been alive for about two hundred years."

She looked at him strangely, not quite understanding where this was going.

"I'm two hundred and six-teen. But I prefer to be referred to as six-teen." She looked at him with shock evident in her expression, causing him to sigh.

"Here, let me explain from the beginning…"

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><p><em>I was an acrobat in my time, a Flying Grayson. But one day, during an act, the cables snapped, and my parents plummeted to their deaths. I was an orphan in minutes. Only nine at the time, people wanted to adopt me, both because of my age, and my story. But the man who adopted me was the millionaire Bruce Wayne.<em>

_But Bruce had a dark secret, and it caused us to move every decade or so. I didn't find out until I was six-teen, and I only found out because we were attacked by a rival coven. I was broken beyond repair. Bruce saved me. _

_We met Wally and his uncle in a city called Central city. His uncle died in a car crash, and Wally needed a place to stay, so he lived with us. It was an accident. He cut his hand and I… I lost control. Bruce was pissed. But, Wally was in need of help._

_He met Jennifer thirty years later. She was using the aliases of Jinx in a gang. Long story short, Wally got her out of the gang. He was falling for her, and falling _hard_. The silver ring he wears around his finger was a promise ring. But, she was caught._

_Our rival coven found her, found Wally's weakness, and took her for their own. Turns out that if you dye your hair before you're changed, it stays that way. Anyway, that's beyond the point. Wally was heartbroken. The grip they had on her was too strong. But he promised her that he'd save her._

_The next time we met them… they had two new members. Karen and Victor stone, a couple who had lost their memories after being changed. We convinced them to join us. But Jinx still didn't waver. But she has some sense of loyalty. If she tells us she's leaving, she leaves. If she fights with any of us, it's never to the death._

_And then there's our sister coven. There's Raven, Garfield, Garth and Roy. They actually live here as well, but they're off in Steel city right now. Raven was turned by her father to be a monster, but she's stronger than that. Roy… well, we don't actually know about him._

_Gar's actually a were-wolf, used to be part of a pack, and he left because they were smothering him. He joined us, much to the dis-pleasure of our rivals._

_Garth was drowning, Roy bit him. That's all they'll say. We're guessing there's more to the story, but those two have sworn secrecy._

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><p>"They're after you because of my mistakes." He whispered. Kori stared at him in confusion.<p>

"Your mistakes?" he nodded, closing his eyes.

"When your house burned down, you were supposed to die. All of you. But I messed up. Raven told me that you all had to die in order for… 'The prophecy'" he said sarcastically "to be broken."

"But I couldn't leave you. I jumped in through your window and saved you. When I got back outside, all I could see was their dis-approval. They left very soon. But I felt this tearing in my chest each time I tried to imagine leaving you in there."

"But we did not know each other. Why did you save me?"

He smiled sadly, looking up from his cloud of shame. "I could feel it. The fear you were giving off. I just wanted to calm you down. But there was this pull, like a magnet. Pulling me to you."

She stood there, not wanting to believe any of it. But today's events were living proof, no pun intended.

"Now… they want you dead… it's all my fault. I'm so sorry." He hung his head in shame, clenching his fists.

"You do not have to be sorry, you were only trying to be 'nice'." She awkwardly tried to comfort him.

"Just, go downstairs. I'll be down in a moment." He said his comforting voice suddenly hard and broken.

"Alright…" she turned around and hurried out, quickly making her way down the staircase.

"Hey, little lady, watch out." Someone cautioned her as she stumbled on a step. "Dick kicked you out?" he asked.

Kori looked up to see Vic standing there, smiling warmly as if she were a close friend. "I'm sure he may seem scary, but the little guy's real sweet."

"Yes, he is quite… sweet." She said timidly.

"Hey, you hungry? With BB gone, we can finally eat meat without his little 'Duu-ude, that's gross.'" He mimicked in a high-pitched voice.

"I mean, really, the guy's a wolf, he should be eatin' his meat! Instead he goes for that tofu stuff. Yuck!" he shuddered. Kori followed him, listening to the man's rant.

"Oh Victor, are you bothering our guest?" Karen laughed. The roof shook slightly, making small bits of plaster rain down along with a cloud of dust. "Dick, stop being so damn… angsty!"

"That little bother." Vic shook his head as he walked over to the fridge. "Hey, y'want something to drink?" he smirked at her as she stared at him, not knowing how to reply.

"Umm… I will have to say no thank you to that offer…" she replied. He and Karen began laughing at her timid response.

"He means soda." Karen explained.

"Oh, well… okay."

He smiled and tossed her a can of coke. "We vampires have a huge sweet tooth."

"Give a vamp some chocolate and they'll love you forever." Karen giggled. "Speaking of chocolate, you got any?" she asked Victor.

He rolled his eyes and tossed her a bag of chocolate chips. "Sweet."

Footsteps sounded from the other room.

"We should probably get you home." Dick said from the doorway.

Victor smiled at him before running up to the boy and holding him in a headlock. "Aw, who's my little angsty boy."

Dick squirmed from his hold, backing away a few paces. "Come on Kori." But she didn't move.

"What about… Jinx?" she asked. The three vampires stiffened for a moment before relaxing.

"Like I said, she'll keep her promise. Trust me, she always does."

She nodded before standing up and exiting with Dick, walking nervously out of the house with him.

"He needs help."

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><p>"<em>Killing machines, perfect for hunting. With appearances that would drag even the most infatuated husband away from their relationship and the strength and speed to defeat any enemy, they were unstoppable."<em>

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><p>The two were driving down the road, trying to seem inconspicuous. Although, with this car, it was kind of hard. White paint with blue cybernetic patterns drawn on it, it was one of a kind.<p>

Music blared, playing some sort of dubstep-rock remix. It hurt her ears, but it was something to get rid of the awkward tension.

The car jerked violently as the car slammed to a halt. In front of the car, stood a wolf with black fur that seemed to glint green in the filtered sunlight.

"Damn it Gar!" Dick called to the wolf. The canine howled and its tongue lolled out of its mouth, giving it a goofy expression.

As the dog moved, Dick sped up, not as fast as before to avoid hitting someone. Slowing down, he noticed a silhouette standing in the road.

"Hey!" Dick called to it. "Move out of the way!" the silhouette turned to acknowledge him.

She turned, revealing herself to be none other then Jinx. She smiled at them like they were close friends.

Suddenly, the girl was torn from their view as something crashed into the side of the car. Dick growled and leapt from the car, lunging at Jinx.

But Kori remained in the car, frozen to the spot. A large shadow was cast over her, snapping her out of her trance. She turned to see a boy with orange-red hair looming over her. Panicking, she rushed to undo her seat belt.

"Don't panic, I'm Roy. I'm here to get you out of here." He said, tearing the seatbelt. Scooping her up, he ran towards the house, ignoring the battle behind him.

"Wally! Get your girlfriend under-control!" He yelled into the house, placing Kori on her feet.

Wally appeared almost instantly. "Roy, what are you doing here?"

"I'm trying to protect her. Jinx showed up with a few friends. We need your help." Wally clenched his fists, looking down at the silver ring on his finger, he nodded and then, he was gone.

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><p><strong>Wally, when will i finally give you a happy ending? is this story horrible? anyone there?<strong>

**review please?**


	4. Chapter 3

**Wally, this chapter explains nothing! it only makes you irrational. the fight scenes also fail.**

**anyway, disclaimer: i don't own teen titans.**

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><p>"<em>When caught in the sun, some say they burn. Withering until all that's left is simply ash…"<em>

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><p>"Dick, how many?" Wally asked. His friend didn't answer; he just kept struggling with a boy whose jaws were snapping in his face. Suddenly, Wally felt something light on his back.<p>

"Hello, _Wally_." She hissed. Wally froze, his ring burning his finger. Spinning around, he stared at her. Her pink hair was flowing freely, and her cat-like eyes sparkled wildly. What he wouldn't give for her to remember.

"Jinx, just try-"he was cut off as her fist connected with his face.

"Wally! Switch with me!" Dick ordered. After a moment's hesitation, he ran up to his friend. Dick nodded before turning to the girl. "Here kitty kitty…" she smiled.

Wally took down his target quickly, fuelled by his anger. His jaws snapped around his enemies shoulder. He tore away, bringing a large chunk of marble skin with him. Rather than oozing a red fluid, it was dry and dusty, leaving only a gaping hole that exposed bone and muscle. Releasing his enemy, he watched him run away.

Turning to help his friend, he watched Dick land a kick squarely in her gut, knocking her into a tree, causing the light birch tree to snap under the pressure.

She looked up painfully, growling slightly before racing off, disappearing in the trees.

"Wally… you shouldn't have come." Dick said, trying to calm his friend.

But Wally wouldn't hear it. He ran off in a huff, leaving his friend standing there. Dick looked over at the broken car and grimaced. "Vic's gonna kill me…"

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><p>"<em>Possessing different abilities, they seem more like super-heroes. But sometimes, these abilities get in the way."<em>

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><p>"Stupid… so stupid." He growled. Slamming his fist in to the tree he was resting on, he gave a satisfied huff when it cracked. He closed his eyes, trying to imagine a time when he'd been happy. He could only think of one.<p>

*flashback*

_He was told, no _ordered,_ by Bruce not to draw attention to himself. That was really tough for someone like him, being so charismatic._

_He let out a startled grunt as he ran in to someone, causing the both of them to fall over._

"_Watch where you're going!" she snapped._

"_Yeah, sorry." He said sarcastically. He wasn't expecting her to look like that though. Blonde hair and pink eyes, she was abnormally beautiful. "Hey wait…" he called out lamely._

"_What?" she snapped._

"_Do you… wanna catch a movie sometime?" she stared at him as if he'd grown another head._

"_Sure…" she paused, waiting for him to laugh or something. But when he didn't, she smiled. "Sure."_

_~S~_

_The two of them sat on the couch, leaning into each other. His mind was clouded with doubts and worries. He and Bruce had fought earlier and Wally was worried that his adopted father/mentor/warden would try and break them up._

"…_You could kill her in seconds. Is that what you want? To watch her die at your own hands? Wally, think about it." Bruce's words hung in his head, clouding his judgement like some sort of drug, derailing him._

"_Wally?" Jen asked quietly, timidly looking him in the eyes. _

"_Yeah Jenny?" he smirked at her. Narrowing her eyes she repositioned herself so she was face to face with him. His hands balled into fists as she leaned closer, her hot breath making her seem so tempting._

"_1, don't call me that and 2, what's wrong?" she cocked her head, making her hair fall to one side, exposing her neck._

_God, the universe loved making fun of him didn't it?_

_I just got in a fight with Bruce… no big deal." _

"_I can tell you're lying." She said, slightly annoyed._

"_How?"_

"_Your left eye twitches. Sort of." Not even Dick notice that, and the two had known each other for decades…_

"_Really?" he smirked, leaning closer. Her scent washed over him, forcing him to ball his fists tighter._

"_really." She closed the distance between them, and the world plunged. Wally worked his hardest not to go insane. He could take her being close to him, take the small playful touches and nudges, but this was hard. Almost painful._

_His fists gripped the couch as he felt his eyes change beneath his closed eyelids. Bruce was right… but Wally wanted this. Torn between two sides, he felt his body shiver as she pulled away, leaning her forehead against his, her breath in his face._

_God, he hated himself. If he'd never met Dick, he wouldn't be in this situation. Yeah, just blame it on him. Groaning, he worked hard not to open his eyes._

"_Wally?" Jen asked worriedly._

_His breath caught in his throat. Pushing up off the couch, he leapt back as if he'd been burned._

_Holding his breath he turned, ready to run. Feeling her eyes boring into his back, he ran, opening his eyes angrily. He could feel his sharp teeth pushing through, dripping with venom. Bruce was right. He was a monster._

_~S~_

_They kept away from each other at school, avoiding the other as if they had some sort of infectious disease. But then, she followed him. Calling out to him._

"_Wallace West, don't you dare try to walk away from Me." she growled to him. He paused, weighing his options. He was a vampire, and the fastest one in record at that. He could outrun her. _

"_What do you want?" he asked coldly, flinching at his tone._

"_I want answers."_

_He turned to look at her. If she was heartbroken, she did a great job of hiding it. Her eyes were blazing with anger, but her body language gave her an air of nonchalance._

"_I figured I made it clear. We can't be together. I… I don't have feelings for you." Her eyes narrowed at him in disbelief. Damn eye twitch. He'd felt it that time._

"_Wally, you helped me out when I needed you. Why won't you let me help you?" she did that hair flip thing again, where she tilts her head one way, the makes and arc and tilts it the other way. God that used to drive me insane._

"_I don't need help. I'm fine." He said slowly. He heard her step closer, watching as she stepped forward, eyeing him cautiously._

"_Wally… I'm waiting for an explanation."_

"_I… can't give you one." Did she just like to make him feel uncomfortable? Because with each step I'm seriously considering just kissing her senseless right now. But she smells so… good._

"_Fine then… but at least tell me why you ran away?" uh, because I'm a monster that wants to drink your blood and steal your soul? Yeah, no._

"_I promise I will some day." He said, glaring at the pavement._

"_And until that day?" she asked, stepping forward again, tentatively placing a hand on his chest._

"_I promise…" he whispered, closing his eyes to try and fight the red color that wished to take over._

_~S~_

_Smiling, that was all he was doing. Smiling. To be honest with you, it was creeping Dick out._

"_Wally, would you stop being so moody? Just last week I thought you were going to try and drive a stake through your heart. What's gotten into you?"_

"_Sorry, batboy" he used his nickname for the smaller boy "but I can't tell you that." He was gone almost faster then he could finish his sentence._

"_Hey Jenny!" he called from the ground. A blond head poked out of the house, pink eyes narrowed._

"_I'm dying my hair. Come back later Wally." he rolled his eyes at the girl's annoyance. Seriously, she was fine the way she was. Now she was dying her hair? Pink?_

"_Fine then, but I'll be back in about an hour. If you're not ready by then, I'm coming in." she closed the window, obviously not impressed._

_He left smiling, just as he'd come. Much to the displeasure of the figure watching from the shadows._

_~S~_

"_Jenny? Hello? Jennifer?" he snickered, pushing her door open. "It's me, Wally."_

_But there was no answer, only an eerie silence. Examining the room, he noticed a small pool of red, standing out against the white marble floor of her bathroom. The smell was sweet and strong, making his mouth water. _

_But he ignored the strong feeling that was swirling in his stomach, instead clutching his head in pain._

_Jen was gone, and it was all his fault._

*end of flashback*

Glaring at the silver ring on his finger, he tore it off, casting it to the side. His fingers felt alien without it, and slowly, the weight lifted. Grief vanished and was replaced with the un mistakable feeling of calm. His lips curled up in a small smile.

After decades of angst, Wally West finally smiled.

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><p><strong>How does this make sense? why is he happy? why am i confusing myself? also, did anyone notice that in the last chapter, i wrote pokemon instead of teen titans by mistake? i was sidetracked with a contestshipping article on bulbapedia.<strong>

**reviews are like chicken soup for the sick, which i happen t be right now.**


	5. Chapter 4

**could i just thank my anonymous reviewer (are you really anonymous? your name only shows up as () ) seriously, you're really helping me out here.**

**Disclaimer: i don't own any of these characters. but i swear, if they're ever given up for auction, i will give my entire life's savings for them... maybe.**

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><p>Once he returned to the house, he felt something change. No longer weighed down by his grief or pain, he moved faster, just as he once had. He earned the title of 'fastest boy alive' right there and then<p>

"Wally? Are you okay? You were gone for a long time…" Dick worried for his friend. The overwhelming amount of angst that boy pent up… it could kill a man.

"Yeah dude, I feel fine." Wally smiled at his friend, trying to prove he was okay. "I just needed some time alone." He looked over the boy's shoulder and smiled at Raven. "How's it going?"

Raven stared up at him in confusion, a rare display of emotion from the otherwise stoic empathy. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Yeah, fine." He shrugged, swerving around dick to reach the girl. "Hey, we got any strawberries?"

_Strawberries? _"Uh… yeah, maybe. Just gimme a sec." Dick said incredulously.

Kori stood awkwardly off to the side, standing next to Karen, who was currently explaining all the new faces.

"…so you see, Gar's quite strange. As you should know, werewolves and vampires are like, sworn enemies, but he's different. His pack was so strange. The leader, and Gar's adopted father, wanted him to fight just as he commanded, no straying, while his mother, also adopted, wanted him to be free. He was so confused. We found him on the edge of a road somewhere. Still so young, we thought he'd die in the cold."

"But he's tough. Tougher than most of us. He's always had a great sense of humor… although his jokes lack the 'funny' quality; he can always make you laugh one way or another."

Kori nodded, looking at the strange boy who was currently stationed next to Raven, tail wagging and the same goofy tongue-out-of-his-mouth smile.

"Garth was drowning, and that's all we know. Roy's like, sworn secrecy or something."

"Raven… well; I'm sure you've heard the story. Tyrant father and all that?" Kori nodded only half paying attention. "Yeah, I'll just let her explain it." Karen opened her mouth to explain more, but was cut off by Victor's loud booming voice.

"BB, you know we'll all be eatin' meat in here! Don't even try to pull that face on me!" Garfield's head drooped as he trotted along beside the man, knowing it was true.

"Oh man… fine then. You can eat your stinky tofu… just keep it away from me." The wolf's head snapped up as he yipped gleefully, rubbing his snout up against Vic's leg.

Still not paying attention, Kori nodded her head to a song that only played in her mind.

_that's when she said I don't hate you boy  
>I just want to save you while there's still something left to save<br>that's when I told her I love you girl  
>but I'm not the answer to the questions that you still have<br>I don't hate you  
>don't hate you, no <em>

"Hey Kori!" Dick called to her.

"Yes, Dick?" she asked, shaking the lyrics from her mind.

"I know you've only just met Wally, but doesn't he seem strange?"

"I cannot answer that Dick. I do not know what he has gone through, and part of me does not wish to know. All I can tell you is that he no longer wears his ring."

Dick stared at his friend's hand, which was currently rested warily on Raven's leg. Sure enough, his silver promise ring was gone, making his hand seem bare.

"Perhaps he took your advice…" Kori said.

"He broke a promise that was meant to be broken. I expected him to be in tears right now, probably breaking this house down."

"What do you mean? Who was this promise made to?" Kori looked at him in wonder, trying to decipher this myth.

"Jinx… he made a promise to her… he promised that he would always love her. That even when time tested them, he would never feel anything for anyone else. He stayed faithful, even when she forgot her feelings. Now sure, there was the occasional one night stand, in hopes of forgetting his promise. But every day, no matter what, he would always wear that ring. Always."

"He truly loved her…" it was not a question, but a statement. But was this past-tense? Had he finally given up? Dick did not believe so; knowing that his friend had spent decades running after this girl, no matter what it did to him.

"I'm going to go ask Raven what she thinks. You should go and talk to Roy. He may come off arrogant and cocky, but he's really sweet if you get to know him." And in the blink of an eye, he was gone.

"I do not believe that I will ever get used to that."

"Used to what?" a melodic voice asked her. Spinning around on her heels, she came face to face with a boy, about her age, with dark purple eyes and long black hair that fell past his shoulders. He was mesmerizing.

"Um, just the um… speed of your… kind." She stuttered. He chuckled at her flustered explanation and held out his hand.

"My name's Garth." So this was the mysterious Garth…

"Kori."

"Pretty name." She blushed at the comment, making her orange skin darken.

"Hey Unitard-guy, leave Dick's girlfriend alone!" Roy called from across the room. Kori and Dick both opened their mouths to object but were cut off by a loud groaning noise.

"You want the ball?" Victor taunted Garfield, who was currently sprawled out on his back, tongue lolling out again.

"Just give him the ball Victor." Raven said in a monotone voice, not looking up from her book.

Groaning, the man dropped the plastic ball for the canine, which quickly leapt on it, making satisfied growling noises. He trotted over to Raven and placed his head in her lap, still gnawing on the ball. He looked up from the broken ball for a moment to bark at Raven before returning to his toy.

"You're welcome." She said, showing no signs of emotion. The room was silent for a while, except for the sound of bacon sizzling and Garfield's small growling noises.

Trotting up to Kori, Garfield dropped the ball at her feet.

"Ruff!" he yipped before walking circles around her.

"He wants you to throw the ball." Raven explained.

"Ruff!" he agreed.

"Okay…" she picked up the slobbery ball and threw it down the hall, watching as he scrambled to catch it.

"He does that a lot." Dick said.

"So Kori, what are your interests?" Roy asked, sending her one of his winning smiles. Dick glared at him from over her shoulder, causing his friend to smile sweetly.

"Um… reading? Journalism…" she shrugged, not quite knowing what to say.

"Ya read any good books lately?" Wally smirked. "I've got a pretty big collection up in my room…"

"Okay guys. Kori, y'wanna go for a walk? Here come on." Dick said, wrapping his arm around her waist and dragging her out of the room. He sent a glare over his shoulders, warning his giggling friends to back off.

"He's so in love."

"_Watching the sun rise is normally relaxing. But right now, the rising sun was just like a sand timer. He was running out of time. His eyes burning a fiery red and his throat burning, he walked slowly, dragging his feet through the warm desert sand, he watched as the sun broke free from the mountains. Spreading his arms wide, he caught the sunlight, catching fire and finally ending his reign."_

"Those two are complete hams." He mumbled, leaning on the stone rail that surrounded the balcony.

"Dick, why are your friends a type of meat?" Dick looked at her strangely, realizing that she was serious, he began to laugh.

"It's a saying…" he trailed off when he met her eyes, watching with curiosity as she examined him.

He hadn't changed at all. Ten years had no effect on him. He seemed six-teen in everyway. His voice, his clothes, his emotions. All but his eyes, which seemed to be brimming with years of wisdom. He had old eyes. She remembered a quote from a TV show she'd seen once…

_How can a man so young have eyes so old?_

_I do a lot of reading…_

She chuckled to herself, remembering his comeback.

"What's so funny?"

"Oh nothing…." She paused. "Dick… is that short for anything? Or rather, another name for something?"

He paused, turning to lean on the railing again, staring off at the stars. "Richard. That's my real name."

"Richard." The name felt foreign on her tongue. "I like it."

"Thanks." There was a silence between them. Not awkward, but comfortable. She leaned over into him instinctively, resting her head on his shoulder. She felt him tense beneath her when she realized what she was doing.

"Sorry!" she pulled away, stepping back.

"No… it's okay." He said, although she could hear the strain in his voice as he pulled her to him. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he held her protectively to his side.

She stiffened for a moment before relaxing into his side.

"Richard?"

"Yeah Kori?" Dick answered, turning to look at her. He wasn't expecting her to be so close, and they were barely inches apart.

"Where will I stay? For the night?" she breathed, eyes flashing across his face, searching for her answers.

"You could um… stay with us…" he stuttered, watching the light from the setting sun make her orange skin glow. "I mean, if you don't want to have to deal with Jinx…"

"Thank you…" she leaned in slowly, not realizing the effect she had on him. He inhaled deeply, breathing in her warm, sweet scent.

"You should um… go talk to Raven…" he stuttered, leaning away from her. "She can give you some old clothes…"

"okay." Dusting herself off, she walked toward the door. Upon opening it she was hit with the smell of bacon and almost knocked over by a rushed Garfield, who burst out onto the deck. Circling a few times, he flopped down, burying his nose in his paws.

"Sorry boy." Dick whispered, scratching him between his ears.

Skirting around the half opened door, she made her way to Raven, passing an upside down Wally, who was currently throwing popcorn in his mouth.

"Um… Raven?" the empath looked up at her, raising her eyebrows questioningly. "Do you have any clothes I could borrow?"

"Yeah, come with me." Raven pushed her self up off the couch, motioning for her to follow.

Raven's room was dark, but not as terrifying as you'd expect. Purple and black with strange knick-knacks and books lining the walls. Candles sat un-lit on the shelves, lining the walls. What stood out was a large toy chicken, sitting in the corner.

"Present. It was from Beast boy." She explained without looking up. Handing her some clothes over her shoulder, which Kori accepted gladly, she began digging through her items, searching for something.

She pulled out a small stuffed animal, a toy raven with a small gem atop its forehead. The resemblance between the two was uncanny.

"Here, I'll show you to your room." The way the girl walked… it was unearthly. She almost seemed to float, making no sound as she crossed the squeaky wood floors. It made Kori feel awkward and clumsy.

Pointing to a door, Raven nodded for her to open it.

"Thank you!" Kori called to the girl, who had already begun to walk away.

Turning back to the door, she turned the knob gingerly, as if it would break off if she used too much force.

Inside the room, was a large four poster bed with red silk curtains that surrounded it. The walls were bare, except for the few photos and paintings that looked like they'd been there for years. Shuffling her feet through the thick carpet, she placed the clothes on the bed and began getting changed.

After getting changed, she rolled up her clothes and put them on the dresser at the foot of the bed. Peeking outside, she noticed that the whole group had left the living room, and was now crowded around the door.

In the silence she could hear the relentless pound of the rain against the house. _Wait, when did it start raining?_

"You should probably go into your room. There's a girl there and she's… a bit unpredictable." Garfield warned. His voice was oddly high-pitched. She turned around only to find a boyish looking teen with spiky blonde hair and green eyes. She couldn't help but notice the slight point his ears had.

"Who is this girl?"

"She's an old… friend I guess, of Dick and Wally's. Kind of rogue. She traveled with our rivals for a while. Right now we don't know where she stands. All I can tell you is that her eyes are seriously red right now. She's probably just itching to find out what you're doing here."

The group parted, to reveal Roy dragging a girl with brown hair by the arm down the hall. The girl froze at the sight of Kori, her jaw dropping in surprise.

"Come on Kori…" Garfield pushed her back into her room. "Just stay in there. Keep your door locked, and don't let anyone in."

Like a deer caught in headlights, Kori struggled to understand what she was supposed to do. Shaking herself out of it, she walked over to the door. Twisting the knob she locked it and then shuffled to her bed. Crawling under the fluffy quilts, she closed her eyes, and willed herself to get some sleep.

* * *

><p><strong>this house is based off the house of a friend of mine's. her house is huge, with three floors and a basement, plus they own the surrounding forest and stream. the roof is covered in skylights and some of the walls are all windows. i seriously love her house.<strong>

**Tests are all this week, plus i've got a 'my life story' project for monday. next chapter might not be up for a while.**


	6. Chapter 5

**short chapter, a lot to explain. sort of a filler.**

**!WARNING!**

**this chapter includes the mention of zombies, vomiting and pus. you do not have to read this chapter, seeing as the next chapter will be an actual plot chapter, not a filler. trust me, this is some weird stuff. if you don't like zombies, or are squeamish, you might want to over look this chapter.**

* * *

><p>Roy tugged on her arm, yanking her back into reality.<p>

"You came to talk. Not to eat. Just stay away from her."

She smiled at him, fake innocence practically dripping off her tongue. "Oh, why would I ever do that?"

"Come on." He dragged her up the stairs, ignoring her cries of protest. A rush of air, and Dick was standing next to him, watching her closely.

"Why are you here?" he questioned, glaring at the girl with bloody murder in his eyes. She sat down, crossing her legs, looking up at him sweetly.

"I'm here for Bruce… do you know where he is?"

"Not here obviously." Roy said gruffly. Dick huffed, crossing his arms defensively.

"We don't take orders from him anymore."

"You'll have to do I guess." She stood up, digging through her pocket for something. Finally finding what she was searching for, she handed them a piece of paper with an address on it. "I got a call from this guy a while ago. He told me to go to that address. I don't know why, but he told me that it was important."

"So why did you come for Bruce?" Dick asked.

"Because I wanted to be cautious about this. It's not really a nice neighbourhood, and I don't know whether it's a trick or not. I figured that if I brought along someone like Bruce, I might actually get some information. Plus, he sounded familiar. Someone from my past might help me figure out who it is."

"Familiar? Why would Bruce help you with that?" Roy cocked his head, his almost bird-like manner making her lips twitch slightly.

"He was the one who recommended that I go live with Jay." Dick cringed. "Sorry… anyway, he was the one who found me and… the others. I figured he might know the guy better than I did."

"So, why would we be helpful?" she looked at Roy with a sheepish expression.

"Because I'm a little scared that he'll tear my throat out."

"Then don't go."

"I have to go. Curiosity killed the cat!" she whined. Dick and Roy paused, sharing a glance before looking down at her. Dick sighed defeatedly.

"We'll leave in the morning. You can have the other guest room down stairs." She smiled brightly at him before capturing him in a (normally) bone-crushing hug.

"Thank you!" she raced downstairs, gone in a breeze.

"She'll be the death of us."

* * *

><p>"<em>That night he caged her. Bruised and broke her. <em>

_He struggled closer. Then he stole her.  
>Violet wrists and then her ankles.<br>Silent Pain.  
>Then he slowly saw their nightmares were his dreams.<br>Monster…"_

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><p>They skidded to a halt, stopping in front of the house. The early morning sun peeked over the mountains, casting bright light over the street.<p>

"It's this house." She pointed to the small house. It seemed to be falling apart, with an old rickety fence that looked like it had been hit by one too many cars, and long tendrils of ivy growing up the side.

"It smells horrible." Roy turned up his head, grimacing at the pungent odour.

"It smells familiar…" Bree shook her head, brushing off the thoughts like cobwebs. "Let's just go inside." Walking forward, she knocked on the door, only for it to open on its own.

Inside the smell was stronger, and sickly strong. Small puddles of blood tracked across the floor, but the obvious smell of rotting flesh destroyed all thoughts of feeding. Following the trail, they reached a broken, splintering door. Dick kicked it once and it cracked in half, showing how old it was.

"This house must be old. It seems like it could fall apart any moment." Roy noted. The three shuffled into the room, only to find a pale body lying in a puddle of bile and blood.

Like something out of a horror movie, it looked drained of everything. Its bones were visible through the skin, and the bite marks on its neck were fresh. But they couldn't find any possible wound that would amount in that kind of blood loss.

Bree looked horror struck and began stumbling backwards. She watched in horror as the body began to rouse, sitting up slightly. Its eyes opened to reveal two bloodshot red-brown pupils. It opened its mouth and emitted a loud hiss/growl type noise before moving sluggishly to its feet.

"We don't want any trouble. We're just here to talk." Roy said, putting up his hands in a manner that suggested surrender. But the creature didn't stop, instead throwing a slow, un co-ordinated punch at the red-head.

It made more gurgling noises before turning again, making feeble attempts to hit one of the two boys.

Bree growled warningly, launching at the creature. She bit down deep into its throat, tearing out a chunk of flesh. What normally would have been a dry, hollow hole, revealing muscle and bone, was a wound secreting a yellow-ish pus. She spat out the chunk and took a swat at his head, cracking the head in an in-humane manner.

"That was not a normal vampire." She said, turning her head to spit. "That my friends, was a zombie."

* * *

><p>~S~<p>

* * *

><p>"I was lucky when I was created. I was one of the few out of my group that was not turned into a mindless creature. They're created when the victim loses too much blood. As you know, the body must be strong enough to withstand the change. But if you lose too much blood, you can't… <em>survive<em>, I guess."

"When you wake up after the transformation and your body forces you to expel the rest of your bodily contents, you normally just start vomiting violently. But these creatures… they don't have enough strength. They just sit there and convulse as stuff comes from their mouth…"

She shook her head, sliding down the wall. Before they'd left, she'd insisted that they burn the house. She had told them that it was for the best, just in case that creature had survived. They'd been the ones to call the fire department.

"My creator… he'd come down every once and a while. Into the basement. He'd just kick them around."

"So they're essentially zombies?" Roy asked, sitting in the hallway across from her. She nodded, hugging her knees tighter.

"So much can go wrong… I've never thought about it." Dick said, staring out the window. Jamming his hands deeper in his pockets, he growled deeply. "Why were we called there? What did he want to prove?"

"He wanted to prove that he could play god." Bree said evenly.

* * *

><p><strong>i love Monster by Meg and Dia, it's such a great song. especially the dubstep remix.<strong>

**i don't own it though, so don't sue me!**


	7. Chapter 6

**Flinx? sure! Angst? SURE! RobStar? ... not yet.**

**Disclaimer: what now, i still don't own it.**

* * *

><p>She twirled a lock of hair around her fingers, flipping through her book aimlessly. She'd read it hundreds of times over, so her interest in the book had dwindled.<p>

"Hey Jinx, what are you reading?" she held up the book sadly, hanging her head in boredom.

"I'm going out. Don't try and follow me." She warned. Grabbing a jacket and a hat, she did her best to conceal her vibrant pink hair. Hopefully she wouldn't stand out.

The town was almost deserted; save for the group of teens all huddled together in front of the movie theatre. She rushed past them, holding her breath to prevent the scent from taunting her. She spotted the store soon, thankfully.

The bookstore was small, so only one or two people were in the shop. She shuffled over to a shelf and tried her best to be inconspicuous. She reached out and pulled the first few books she saw off the shelf. _Romance novels… great._

She hurried over to the register and dropped all the books on the counter.

"That'll be 32 dollars and 34 cents." The cashier droned. Jinx jammed the cash on the counter and scooped up the books, rushing out the door.

The books were boring, she realized as she looked them over on her way home. In fact, she'd already read two of them. Sighing, she turned the corner, stopping when she heard muffled cries coming from the alleyway to her left.

A man, about forty years old was towering above a half-unconscious woman. The poor lady looked like she'd had the life drained out of her. Scars and injection marks littered her arms, and she was no doubt homeless. Probably a prostitute.

This man must have been her employer… Jinx cringed when he kicked her again, this time in the head. She felt her fangs itch, as she put her books on the pavement. Creeping around the corner, she listened as the woman's breathing stopped, and the mans attacks stopped.

Creeping over silently, she watched the man begin rummaging through the woman's bag. With one hit, she'd knocked him unconscious. She sighed happily as he slumped against the brick wall.

His blood was tainted with drugs and alcohol and left a horrible taste in the back of her throat. She looked over to the woman, licking her teeth to get rid of the stains. Searching through the bag that the man was digging through, she found a wallet with a photo of a small boy in it, around five or six.

The woman moved feebly, curling in a tighter ball. Jinx felt a sudden rush of guilt, and leaned over her. The smell of her blood was mixed with strange drugs and alcohol, and Jinx could smell the diseases she had contracted. The woman was going to die anyway…

But the pink haired girl couldn't bring herself to do it. She was a more sympathetic vampire, as she put it. Although her teammates just called her weak. She just wanted to belong. But she knew that would never happen. She was bad luck, there was no escaping it. But this woman… she had a family. A son, she was guessing.

Standing up, she cast one final glance at the battered woman and turned around, rushing out the alleyway and scooping up her books as she fled. She could almost feel the dis-approval coming off Brother Blood from here, but she shook her head as if to clear it. She would deal with that later.

~S~

The news was soon at the scene, assuming that this was another one of those murders. They were showing up all over the city, each one linked in one way or more. The victims were normally pimps or prostitutes, but sometimes they were the occasional teen on their way home at night or something like that.

They were always drained of their blood, normally with a puncture wound on their neck or wrist. Or just anywhere there was a major artery. It was dubbed 'the mysterious case of Count Dracula.'

"So you see Bruce, they're all dry. But this seems to be a copycat. They left one of the victims battered in the alley, not drained or anything. She's still recovering from the shock." The man reported. Bruce couldn't remember his name… Sam, was it?

"Thanks…"

"Seymour." He answered, smiling weakly at the Bruce. It was easy to be intimidated by him. Standing at six foot six inches with broad shoulders, black hair and dark blue eyes, you could look up 'intimidating' in the dictionary, and a photo of him would show up.

Seymour left quickly, much to Bruce's enjoyment. Bruce walked over to the body, examining it half-heartedly. Its bones were visible through his skin, which was no a sick, pale white. A bite mark was imprinted in his neck, leaving a familiar pattern in the skin.

He knew exactly who was to blame, but there was nothing he could do. Standing up stiffly, he walked silently over to his car. Digging through his glove box, he pulled out a small silver cell phone.

"Dick?" he answered when his son's voice answered. "I'm in town, and… yes. You know this isn't a question. Good. Bye." He closed the phone with more force than needed.

~S~

"Bruce is coming over… he's gonna be pissed." Dick growled. His phone was damaged beyond repair, and was now lying across the room, shattered.

"Why will Bruce be angry?" Kori asked. Dick couldn't help but smirk, although it was hidden by his hands as he clutched his head.

"Because, one, we couldn't protect the city, and two, well…"

Wally turned from his friend's side to explain. "We told Bruce that you were… dead. I'm sure Dick's explained the prophecy to you. Anyway, Bruce doesn't like to be lied to. Plus, those two don't really get along."

Kori nodded, although they were sure that she didn't quite understand. Turning back to his friend, who seemed to be melting as he was getting smaller and smaller.

"Oh Dick, calm down. Anyway, he'll be here soon like… now" a knock on the door alerted them of Bruce's arrival. Kori sank lower into the couch, burying her nose in her book.

"Dick, Wally." The mans head turned slowly, as he scanned the room. When his eyes fell on ore, he smelled the obvious scent of fear and blood. "Who's your friend?" Dick groaned, looking up at his 'father'.

"Her name's Kori." He said miserably.

"Kori Anders?" Dick sank lower into his hands, hiding the best he could.

"The same Kori Anders you told me was dead?" Bruce shouted as he dragged Dick out by his ear. Wally caught Bruce sending 'the bat-glare' in his direction, and followed reluctantly as he watched Bree creep into the room and pull Kori downstairs.

"You have endangered us all! You know what power she contains!" his rant could still be heard downstairs, even when they closed the basement door.

"He gets like that. Now, I don't think we've been properly introduced! I'm Bree." She held out her hand, smiling brightly. Kori looked at the girl warily, knowing the Garfield had told her not to trust this brunette.

"Relax, I'm not going to bite, I'm just being friendly." she smiled again, this time her eyes flickered to the sliding glass door on the wall.

"What is it?" Kori asked, peeking around Bree's shoulder. Figures began appearing from the woods, most of them with glowing red eyes.

"DI-IIICK! BRU-UCE! WALLY!" she tore the door open, tearing off its hinges in the process. "Stop squabbling and get down here!"

Dick was down in an instant, followed by Wally and then Bruce.

"Oh, so you even have the confused traitor… Dick, I think we need to talk about your decision making skills." Bree glared before pointing over her shoulder.

"Blood wants blood. I need help. You, be quiet." She said. The door shattered as a rock flew through it. "They're throwing rocks?"

They could see their attackers now as they got closer. A large man named Mammoth, Billy, Brother Blood and Jinx. Although Jinx lagged behind, her shoulders slumped slightly as if she'd just been reprimanded. Surprisingly, Wally didn't tense and he didn't choke. He just sprinted to them, followed by Bruce and Dick.

"What, no sad, heartbroken plea today?" Jinx scowled, although she didn't seem into it. Her eyes were clouded, and she looked exhausted and wary.

She got no response, instead just a kick in the gut. Stumbling back, she was surprised when she noticed Bree, pushing Billy back irritably. The last time she'd seen her, she'd been on their side. But that didn't matter. Turning back to her attacker, Wally, she sneered.

The two fought toe to toe, neither managing to take down the other. She felt a little out of place when Billy and Mammoth ran off, watching Brother Blood for any sign that she could run. Hesitantly, she backed away, towards the trees.

"Get back and fight Jinx!" she froze, swaying on her feet. If she stayed, she'd be killed, but if she left… she'd also be killed. Glancing between the approaching Wally and her leader. Shaking her head, she bolted, running down the ravine.

And as she ran past the trees, towards the water, she knew that she could not go back.

~S~

Collapsing next to the river, she looked down at her reflection. Pink cat like eyes, and hair to match, she was a freak show. Most days, she was tortured by strange memories, but Brother Blood had helped. He'd gotten rid of them for her.

But now, there was no one who could help her. The memories slowly surfaced, making her choke. Her heart, or whatever it was, felt like it was being pulled on.

*flashback*

"_Wally?" Jennifer asked nonchalantly, playing with his jacket zipper. "Can you promise me something?"_

"_Hmm?"_

"_That no matter what, you'll save me?" he paused, looking down at her. He'd saved her from gangs and guns and from himself as well. What else could she possibly fear?_

"_Of course." And silence ensued. _

"_Wally?" Jen asked quietly, timidly looking him in the eyes._

"_Yeah Jenny?" he smirked at her. Narrowing her eyes she repositioned herself so she was face to face with him. His faced looked pained as she got closer._

"_1, don't call me that and 2, what's wrong?" she cocked her head, making her hair fall to one side._

_I just got in a fight with Bruce… no big deal." She could tell it was a big deal. His eyes were far off, and his eye twitched. Once, twice…_

"_I can tell you're lying." She said, slightly annoyed._

"_How?"_

"_Your left eye twitches. Sort of."_

"_Really?" he smirked, leaning closer. She felt her heart quicken as his eyes flickered closed for a moment._

"_Really." She closed the distance between them, and the world plunged. She felt him freeze, and she felt slightly deflated. But as he reached over her and kissed back, her heart soared. She pressed against him warily, leaning in before pulling away, feeling him shiver._

"_Wally?" she asked when he groaned. Did she do something wrong? Her hear shattered as Wally leapt back, cringing as if he'd been burned. He turned and fled out the door. She stared off after him until the sound of his footsteps died away._

*end of flashback*

Memories were not something she normally had to endure, but as more and more rushed back, she felt the weight of being controlled lift off her shoulders. Even as the pain in her chest grew, her body relaxed. Looking down at her hand, she traced the spot where a ring would normally sit.

He'd promised. She had broken it. He stuck to it. And just when she remembered, he broke it. After decades of forgetting, Jinx finally knew what she had to do.

She had to run away.

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><p><strong>just to prove that these aren't sparkling fairy vampires, she kills him, okay?<strong>

**Roy and Garth and all them are gone hunting. well, actually, Roy and his coven, they left for Steel city again, and Vic and Karen are hunting.**


	8. Chapter 7

**Finally, a chapter that isn't Flinx centered. But seriously, i'm calling it Spitfire from now on. Why? Because Spitfire can stand for anyone. 'SOMEONE WHO WON'T LET YOU GET AWAY WITH NOTHING' that could count for Batman for all we know. so, in honor of Wallart (no offense to any Wallart fans. don't murder me!) i am now going to cal everything Wally related, Spitfire.**

**Dis-claimer: all i own is this bag of popcorn.**

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><p>Kori hid from the fighting. She always had. Even when she was younger. When her sister, Koma, would fight with her uncle Galfore. When her friends fought. But now, the reality of it all was bearing down on her. They were fighting to maim or kill, not to prove their point.<p>

She hugger her knees closer to her body as she hoped to X'hal that they wouldn't make it in the house. Dick appeared in the doorway, smiling slightly.

"Kori?" she made a muffled response and buried her head in her knees.

"Oh Kori…" he walked up to her, a comical pout, arms spread wide. He was stopped by Bruce, who put a hand on his shoulder.

"Dick." He said in a gentler voice. "Be careful. You know what these sorts of things can cause."

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He smiled, before running off and sitting next to Kori.

"So, Wally's run off in search of Vic and Karen, and I have to go call Roy." Bree looked through the smashed window and shuddered. "Hey, can I use your phone?"

~S~

Kori sat on the roof with her sketchpad in hand. The sun was setting, and casting unique shadows across the grass. Victor and Karen had returned home quickly, both carrying grocery bags. Apparently, when the said they'd stop and pick up a snack, they meant chocolate.

Roy and Raven said that they'd return soon, most likely tomorrow. Hunting and stuff like that. Karen made some joke about them not having to feed, seeing as they had bought enough food to last.

So now she was hiding from the group, sitting on the ledge next to the skylight, looking in and watching them mingle. Dick and Wally had managed to tackle Bruce, Wally sitting on his legs and Dick trying to write something on his face with a marker.

She watched him throw the two boys off and then rush off to survey the damage done to his face. Kori giggled before turning back to her sketchbook.

"Hey-loo?" Dick asked. He scanned the roof, his eyes falling on Kori. He held up a big mixing bowl with two wooden spoons sticking out of it. "We made icing."

"Icing?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Yeah, icing. It's chocolate." He smiled, and climbed up fully. He offered her a spoon and she took it gladly. Licking off the icing, she smiled. They really like their chocolate.

"So what are you drawing?" he peeked over her shoulder. Keeping the chocolate on his tongue, he rolled it around his mouth to mask her scent.

"Just the field. Although I guess it is use-less now. The sun has already set." She sighed before looking up at the sky, taking another spoonful of icing.

"Hey, promise me something."

"Yes, friend Richard?" he chuckled at her use of his real name.

"That you'll come up here each night to watch the sunset with me." He smiled, holding up his spoon and licking more chocolate off it.

"Okay Richard. But, you must promise me this."

"Anything, Kori."

"That you'll come bearing gifts like this?" she held up the spoon.

"Deal!" he laughed, tapping her spoon with his.

~S~

Kori crawled into bed sleepily. She'd spent hours on the roof with Richard, looking at the stars. He'd forgotten that humans got tired. He'd tip-toed to his room after seeing her to hers, trying to evade running into Bruce.

The fluffy comforter was cold, making her shiver, but she soon got comfortable, closing her eyes. She could still hear them moving around. Victor was ranting about something, while Karen was playing music. And Dick and Wally were hiding in Dick's room upstairs.

Sighing, she nuzzled her pillow and fell into a dreamless slumber.

~S~

Richard and Wally hid in his room, waiting until Bruce calmed down before they showed their faces again. Playing with small objects to waste time, Dick picked up the jar he kept on his nightstand. The glass jar was filled with dirt, and he laughed at himself for believing the old myth.

It was a sort of inside joke between himself and no one else. Legend said that a vampire couldn't stray to far from his home soil, thus the reason Dracula carried around coffins of soil. Because he was young and gullible, he'd gathered dirt in a jar before setting off with Bruce. He always had to laugh at himself whenever he saw it.

Laying it back down on his nightstand, he turned to his friend, who was poking his head out the door.

"The coast is clear. I'm gonna make a break for it." Wally saluted before making a mad dash down the hallway. Dick got up and closed the door, turning to his bed. Digging under it, he managed to find an old photo album. It's soft, plush cover had faded and was tattered, and the photo on the front seemed to barely be hanging on, but it was all Dick had left.

The first few pages were photos of Bruce and Alfred, the family's long dead butler who'd been more of a friend then a staff member. Then there was Barbara, his first love. With bright eyes, she'd waved to the camera happily. It was the same day that they'd had to leave town.

Then there was Barry and Wally. Iris had never really liked the cameras, but there were a few photos with her in them. Photos from the hospital. Garfield as a puppy. God, he was so cute. With fluffy black fur and sparkling green eyes, he'd been the cutest puppy ever.

In the back of the book there was folded piece of paper. Unfolding it, he smiled sadly. In big bold letters the words 'The Flying Graysons' were written at the top. Underneath were three people. A young boy, a man and a woman. He traced their faces with his finger tips, reminiscing in the blurry fragments of memory he kept. Over time and transformation, his memories had faded, but he held onto that last memory. His favourite memory.

It was the memory of his eighth birthday. His mom and dad had taken him to the city. He couldn't remember much, but what stuck with him was the memory of a play. With colourful costumes and long musical numbers, it had been a highlight of his short human life.

He put the poster back in its pocket and pulled out something else. A beautiful emerald necklace. The silver that the jewels rested in was old and rusted, but at one time it had been a beautiful, sparkling family heirloom.

Twirling it in his hands, he laid his head back on his pillow, falling into a mock sleep.

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><p><strong>Theory 1: Vampires can't be far from home soil. i did my research, and this little idea of Dick keeping a jar of soil next to his bed popped up. now, Wally was supposed to steal it and start singing 'i got a jar of dirt', but we can't always win.<strong>

**and i was craving chocolate icing while writing this, so i threw that in as well.**


	9. Chapter 8

**how horrible is this story? please tell me...**

**Disclaimer: what now duckies, i still don't own Teen titans!**

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><p>The Moon illuminated the field, casting strange shadows over the field. Dick looked down at the girl, now unconscious, whose head rested in his lap. Not quite knowing what to do, he awkwardly picked her up, jumping off the roof and landing on his feet in a cat-like manner. Stepping through the still-broken glass door, he carefully tip-toed up the stairs.<p>

Wincing when he realised that the TV was on full volume, he rushed out of the room, narrowly missing running into the sliding wood door. Shutting it with his foot, he breathed a sigh of relief. She was a heavy sleeper.

Softly pushing the door open, he laid her down on the bed. Pulling the covers over her, he took a moment to look over her. A small scar on her temple, her thick eyelashes, red hair that shone like fire…

Leaning down, he kissed her forehead lightly, ignoring the burning in the back on his throat.

"Dick." Bruce hissed. Jumping up quickly and sprinting to the door, he came face to face with Bruce, still stoic, and Roy, who was trying to get Garfield off his shoulders.

"Dude, get off me."

"No." Garfield squealed, hugging his friend's shoulders tighter. A low growl sounded from Roy's throat, warning the boy on his shoulders that he'd surely tear off his head if he didn't get off.

"Fine…" he crawled off, hiding behind Dick. Dick slapped his forehead, muttering insults under his breath.

"I want to talk to you." Bruce huffed, glaring at Garfield. "Without interruption."

Garfield shrank back in a submissive manner, angering Dick.

"Bruce, you're not the leader of this coven."

"Well neither are you, if this is what you consider leadership." Bruce growled, pushing his son backwards towards the study. Roy and Garfield followed slowly, closing the door behind them.

Bookshelves towered, reaching the roof and overflowing with books. A red plush couch was pushed against the wall, along with a large stuffed bear. Dick chuckled at the sight of the fluffy toy, remembering how he used to hide with it when he first moved here.

They had four houses, and moved to each every ten years or so. One in Europe, which Dick particularly detested, one in America, one in Australia and one in Japan.

They had two names that they used as personas so no one knew who they were. Dick could also be called Damian, or Richard. Robin however, was everyone's suggestion. From the time that he was little, he'd been fascinated by the red breasted birds and their story. That their chests were stained with blood…

But, some of them just picked out random names. They were the only ones who knew each other's real names. They almost never used their aliases unless they were in public. Garfield had decided to play along, using his hatred for his real name as an excuse.

The trouble with Garfield though, is that he ages. He is one of those creatures that has to die, like humans. He cannot be changed, and he cannot undergo some sort of procedure. Garfield chooses to live with the coven, because he has bonded with them. Garfield does not need an alias, but, he chooses one anyway, for the sake of the family.

"Dick, the full moon is approaching. This is reckless behaviour. We just fought over a girl that was supposed to die ten years ago. So what if she dies?"

Dick's head snapped up, shaking him from his cloud of happy memories.

"So what if she dies? So what? We're the whole reason she was supposed to die! Why can't we just accept that she's not meant to die?"

"Because with each passing day, she is endangering us all!" Bruce roared. Sometime in their fight, Garfield had changed, and was now sitting in between them, whining quietly, trying to block the harsh words they were spewing. "Garfield Logan, get out of here!"

The wolf looked up fearfully. In his eyes, they could see the courage he was trying to muster up. His submissive pose slowly disappeared, forming a new, dominant pose. Tail erect and head held high, he growled warningly at the dark haired vampire.

Dick froze in fear for his friend. This was 'The Dark knight' Bruce Wayne, Garfield's idol and saviour. But he could see a flicker of appreciation flicker across his old mentor's face, before he kicked the dark canine aside.

"She's my friend too y'know!" Garfield persisted, steadying him self against the desk as he stood, squaring off his shoulders to try and appear tough.

Bruce poked him once in the chest, deflating him considerably. "Oh yeah? So if she were to be the cause of your death, what would you do then?"

"I wouldn't care. She's done nothing but be nice to us, and she's not trying to put us in danger…"

"The full moon is approaching, and we don't even know how many they are! Think of how many Fledglings they have! We are a family of what? Eight? They could have hundreds by now."

"Then we'll protect her best we can!" Dick snarled, baring his sharp fangs. Bruce clenched his fists as he stared Dick down, not wincing when the boy's eyes sharpened to a fiery red. "The full moon only happens once Bruce."

"No Dick, no it doesn't."

"What do you mean?"

"Every full moon Richard. She'll grow stronger with every full moon."

~S~

"Right now, what is festering inside of her is a power that we have not yet come in contact with before. She will become… a siren, basically. I'm sure you have already noticed her unnatural beauty?" he paused, looking at Dick, who was now, sitting on the plush couch that he'd spent so much of his life on.

When he was younger, about ten, he'd come in here to watch Bruce work. Paperwork mostly, sometimes he'd be reading. But Dick would always sit there, curled up with an old book, head resting on the bear's lap. As Dick got older, the bear had been forgotten. But Bruce had insisted that it stay there, even when they moved. He wouldn't admit it, but it held a sentimental value to Bruce.

"Slowly, her voice will take on a controlling sort of seductive tone. She will soon become a dream, something that every man wishes for. This is the power that is festering inside of her. She is becoming a weapon that can stop even the strongest, most loyal person in their tracks."

"So you want to kill her?" Dick asked, stroking Garfield's fur rhythmically. Roy, who really felt out of place, had gone off somewhere, exploring the house he'd already spent many years exploring.

"Dick, there is no other option. The full moon is days away, and you know that they'll come for her then, if not sooner. Brother Blood is like a vice. No matter how much of a bond you think you have with her, you won't succeed. Just look at what happened to Wally."

Bruce cast his eyes downwards, sighing heavily. Why did they always have to get so attached to their vessels?

"Bruce, we can protect her."

"Dick, have you ever heard the story of the Sirens?"

"If you haven't forgotten, you set me up with one." Dick growled.

"Dick, Sirens are creatures that lure people in to kill them. They are seductive creatures of legend whose songs can drive a man insane." Bruce stood up and dug through his many bookshelves, tossing him a few books on Greek mythology.

"Dick, if I can't convince you…" He watched as Dick rose, calling Garfield with him. The wolf lagged behind, casting tired glances over his shoulders. Mortal…

~S~

"_Once he hears to his heart's content, sails on, a wiser man.  
>We know all the pains that the Greeks and Trojans once endured<br>on the spreading plain of Troy when the gods willed it so—  
>all that comes to pass on the fertile earth, we know it all!"<em>

_~S~_

Garfield padded towards the door, pushing it open with his paw. Raven always kept her door ajar. Leaping up onto the bed, he circled twice before settling down, resting his head on his paws. He always slept in here. Sure, he had a room of his own, but this room was his safe haven. He could just hide in here, and no one could hurt him.

He scanned the room sleepily, stopping when he noticed the stuffed chicken that contrasted against the dark theme of the room. He'd won it for her at a fair when he was twelve. Although she'd been annoyed at the time, she'd brought it home anyway and stashed it away in her room.

"Garfield?" Raven called, standing in her doorway. She'd long outgrown her annoyance with him sleeping in her room, and now came to enjoy his companionship. Most of the time.

She could hear his steady breathing, and she knew he was asleep. Crawling in to bed carefully, she curled up next to him. Gabbing a book, she leaned against the back board, re-reading a book she'd read a thousand times before.

_~S~_

Dick picked up the phone grudgingly. Punching in the numbers with more force than necessary, he growled at the annoying high pitched ringing.

"Hello?" a strange, seductive yet high-pitched voice answered sleepily.

"Jay?" Dick's voice softened instinctively, an ability her voice had.

"Oh gosh, Richard? Oh Sweetie, what's wrong? Do you need me to come over? Where are you living? Still in Europe? If so, I'll be there as soon as I can." Her voice sounded rushed, as if she were trying to gather her things quickly.

"No, we're in Jump again… Listen, we need your help."

"What's wrong?"

"Can you remember that house we burned down? The one where everyone needed to die?"

"Of course sweetheart, but don't try explaining over the phone. Richard, I'll be there soon. I'm just outside the city. See you in an hour."

"But wait…" The line went dead and Dick was sure she was hopping into a cab right now. Anger and fear rushed back as her voice disappeared. Slamming the phone down on the receiver, he shuffled over to the fridge. Nearly tearing the door off its hinges, he grabbed a carton of eggs. Grumbling to himself, he proceeded to make himself, and the rest of them, breakfast.

~S~

Kori was awakened by a strange new voice coming from the hallway. Almost as if she were being controlled, she rolled out of bed. Pulling on one of Raven's plush robes, she shuffled out shyly.

"Oh, and this must be Kori!" The girl squealed. Her voice, although high pitched with her youth, had sing-song seductiveness to it. She stood arm-in-arm with Bree, as the two looked like almost complete opposites.

The girl, wearing a blue trench coat over light blue skinny jeans, she was a bright contrast against Bree's dark purple and black attire. Kori also took note of her long gray hair, bangs tipped with black.

"I'm Alice." She reached out to shake Kori's hand, but Kori hesitated. Alice's eyes opened wide, and her hand snapped back to its place at her side. "Richard, walk with me…" she tugged on his arm, backing away from the red-head, while never looking away.

"Jay, Please…"

"Dick, you don't understand the urgency of this situation." She hissed. Dick flinched at her voice, but Kori was unaffected.

"What do you mean? What is the matter?"

"Oh Richard, Sweetheart, this is bad… This is really bad…" Alice sighed before motioning for Kori to follow. "Come with me darling, I'll explain everything."

~S~

"So you see, there's more to this world than just humans. As you know, there are Vampires and Werewolves, but also other creatures… such as Sirens, like you and I, and… oh, never mind that. Anyway, I could tell by the way you weren't affected by my voice when I spoke to you."

"I could also tell by your appearance. It's strange, for a human to have such striking features. But you, you are the subject of a prophecy, as I'm sure you know. This prophecy is about the metamorphoses from human to siren. You are a very powerful weapon, darling, and I hope I can help you understand…"

"Jay, why do they have to go after her? Why not you or someone more experienced?" Dick groaned, running his hand through his hair angrily.

"Because, she doesn't have experience. It'll be easier to contain her power. Although, that may not be the case. I know that when I manifested these abilities, I was quite calm and Canary was able to keep my abilities under control. But Kori, if she's really as powerful as they say, might be another case."

"Jay, they can't get a hold of her…"

"There's nothing I can do, Dick. She's not ready. She hasn't even begun to sound like one. These things take time. They'll start to appear about a day or so before the full moon." She said in her strange voice. Kori was intrigued by their explanation, wanting to know more about what they were talking about.

"Kori…" She turned to her, blinking her large amber eyes at her. "The transformation… it's strange. You know that when a guy gets older, his voice drops? Yours will ultimately do the same."

But Kori's eyes were no longer locked on the strange appearance of the girl. No, now they were trained on Dick's hand, which was now intertwined with Alice's.

"Sweetie?" Kori looked up with her face a swarm of conflicting emotions. "It'll be uncomfortable at first, because sometimes it's strange, having your voice just suddenly drop and rise at random moments, but don't worry. It passes."

Dick leaned over her shoulder, offering her a reassuring glance.

"Why did this have to happen to me?" she whispered, forgetting that they had exceptional senses of hearing. Alice reached out and placed a reassuring hand on hers. Its warmth surprised Kori. This girl was _human_.

~S~

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><p><strong>oh, ho, ho, ho, she's human! and holding Dick's hand... and calling him Richard.<strong>

**just so you know, the full moon in this story is about a week away. only a few more chapters...**

**and possibly a sequel.**

**Reviews, are like wristbands that say stupid things... they have no purpose, yet we cherish them and they make us cool.**

**mine say kindness in 9 different languages!**


	10. Chapter 9

**hey guys, sorry i've been a while, i just got the book **shift.** guess what? my aunt knows the author so, 1, it hasn't been published yet, so i have the ONLY COPY IN EXISTENCE! 2, it's signed by the author personally to me, and 3, it's the un-corrected copy, meaning it hasn't been proof-read. i'm a beta tester! i highly recommend it when it comes out.**

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><p>Kori watched as the girl with grey hair sang a short tune, pausing for her to try and replicate it. Kori tried, but like every other time, her voice cracked and she failed to replicate the siren's song.<p>

"Don't worry, it takes time…" she smiled, tilting her head in a bird like manner. The two of them were sitting on the roof, as Kori listened to her hum short tunes.

"Hey guys?" Dick called, poking his head out from the window.

"Okay, I've been here long enough to know…" Alice held up her hands in defeat, crawling over to the sky light. "See ya, Richard." She smiled, pecking him on the cheek before sliding in the house.

"Heh, sorry I'm late…" he laughed sheepishly. In his hand was a bundle of blankets. Handing one to her, he laid the other one down to sit on. "Didn't miss anything, did I?"

"No, you did not." She croaked. Her voice was growing hoarse with the sessions they'd been having over the week. So far, the moon was nearly full. Although she couldn't see the difference, the vampires had such acute senses that they could tell how many days were left. So far, they had about two days left.

"So, do you think you've been getting any farther?"

"Not at all, Richard. I feel as though my voice is mirroring my emotions…" she sighed, tugging the blanket tighter around her.

"I'm sure it'll get better…" he said, wrapping his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. He smiled as she rested her head on his shoulder.

Staring up at the sky, he studied the sky that he'd tried so hard to memorise. He scanned the sky until his vision rested on one star, the brightest in the sky.

"Hey Kori…" he said, tilting his head to see her.

"Yes Richard?"

"See that star?" he pointed to it, looking at her in the corner of his eye, smiling. "That's you."

"That is… the ironic."

"Why is it ironic?"

"Because in my language, Tamarainian, the literal translation of my name would be 'Starfire'." She smiled, lacing her fingers with his.

"Well, Starfire, what do you think of this night?"

"It is marvellous."

The two sat in a peaceful silence, until Dick tensed, leaning over the edge to get a better look at the trees. Although he didn't need to, seeing as he had heightened senses.

A low growl sounded from his throat, a crazed, wild sound that no one should ever hear. Kori shivered, even though she was warm under her blanket.

"Get in the house." He ordered, standing up. She sighed. It didn't matter anyway, the peaceful air they'd had was shattered anyway. She looked up as she crawled, watching the dark silhouettes peek at them through the trees.

"Kori…" he warned, tearing his eyes from the tree line to look at her. His eyes were pained, but the over-whelming anger they showed scared her. "Just go." He whispered. Although it sounded almost like a whimper. He leaned forward, pressing his lips to hers before pushing her in the house, locking the skylight.

Kori stood under it as she watched him leap from the roof. She touched her tingling lips, forgetting about her earlier doubts. Right now, her mind was bank, and her heart had swollen to twice its size.

~S~

He stood in the yard, watching as they monitored his house. He could recognize Brother Blood, who was obviously back for revenge, and the silhouette of his partner, Madame Rouge and their interns. Mammoth, a big muscular man with long hair and Gizmo, his almost entire opposite.

He was a short, bald boy about twelve years old whose only strength was his smarts. He had the brains to create almost anything, including strange robotic limbs that boosted him to tower above most people.

What surprised him was that Jinx wasn't there. She was Madame Rouge's favourite intern, and the tall woman was hoping to make Jinx her apprentice. Dick scanned the trees searching for the familiar pink haired vampire.

And almost as quickly as they appeared, they disappeared. Leaving only an unsettling feeling in the air.

Growling, he rushed back in the house, slamming the door behind him.

"Hey, what did you do to Kori? She came in all… dreamy… Richard?"

He pushed past the girl storming off to his room and slamming the door. Alice stood there, feeling her shoulders slump in disappointment.

~S~

She watched through her cat like eyes as they raced off, failing to notice the pink haired girl who was hiding by the ravine. Gizmo had taken her place! She seethed silently, turning back to the gigantic house she'd always watched from afar.

She watched as the lights turned off and blinds slammed shut. They were obviously going into lockdown. The normally bright and shining house was now dark and gloomy, reflecting her feelings almost perfectly. She could hear them returning, this time with more.

She recognized the footsteps of Billy, and quickly made her way away from them, leaping into the water. Even as the cold water hit her skin, she didn't feel human, only empty. Being bad was all she'd had left, and now it was gone.

~S~

Sometime in the night, probably early in the morning, it had begun to snow. In big, fluffy flakes the white stuff had covered the ground quickly. Ominous shadows cast by the tall, twisted, trees gave it a terrifying air.

It was all too easy to picture the white snow drenched in blood, and the bodies that lay in it. That was impossible though, seeing as only three of them could bleed, and only one of them was defenceless.

Kori wondered what her Koma was doing. Was she hanging out with friends? Or playing in the snow with their dog Silkie?

Right now the world would be bustling with people running out to get their last minute Valentines cards and things like that, and Kori was sure that some couples couldn't wait and were already sitting giddily on the couch eating chocolates. It was the perfect day…

But Kori sat alone on the couch, her only company being Alice, who was currently busy picking at her cuticles out of boredom. Curled up with the TV on as white noise, she clutched her cup in a death grip. Taking a sip of the dark liquid, she flinched. It was bitter and dark, and her first instinct was to spit it out, but she knew better.

She hadn't slept at all that night, and her voice was hoarse from lack of sleep. Apparently, the drink was supposed to wake her up, and soothe her sore throat. She had to admit, she did feel better…

"Kori, are you okay?" Raven emerged, tugging her fur trimmed cloak tighter around her body. Even though they couldn't get cold, it seemed that they were trying to be as human as possible. Garfield had growled something un-intelligent about 'if the fur was real' and stalked off, falling asleep again. It seemed like he never stayed awake…

"I am fine, friend Raven…" Kori slurped her drink, watching the snow hit the window lamely. "Raven, why are they just waiting there? We are defenceless, yes?"

"Yes… but they're waiting for something… I'm sure they have at least one or two scouts out there."

"But what are they waiting for?" Kori slurped again.

"They're waiting for an opening." Raven said as she shuffled over to the window.

"An opening?" Kori asked.

"For the full moon. They want to change you at the height of your power…" Dick growled, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed.

"Horrible idea." Alice said, looking up from her fingernails. "Mine's the solstice, so it only happens twice, but it's still a horrible idea. You must be really powerful, seeing as the gap between your highest and lowest is so small."

"Oh yeah, and that's a wonderful thing."

"Shut up, Richard." She snapped. His glowered at her but his mouth seemed to be glued shut.

~S~

With half an hour until mid-night, Kori felt as though she were a six year old again, running around on a sugar high. She was not tired at all, and almost wanted to scream by the time she found out where she was going to hide.

It was a small room at the end of the hall that had no carpeting and bare, concrete walls. It was one of the only rooms in the house that didn't have any windows, and was lit by an old, flickering light bulb. Bree sat inside with Alice, who was currently singing out small hymns to try and subdue her brunette friend.

Within seconds of her first song, Bree had passed out.

"Why is Bree asleep on the floor?" Roy asked, nudging the sleeping girl with his toe. She snorted and shook her head, lifting her head off the ground.

"…" she muttered quickly, sitting up and holding out her hand. Roy grabbed it and yanked her up swiftly, smirking.

"Hey Alice, next time she starts talking too much, just do that." That earned him a slap on the up-side of his head. "Anyway, just came to tell you that there's twenty minutes left…" he glanced sympathetically at Kori before dashing back outside.

~S~

The coven stood outside, watching as their opponents stepped onto the grass, emerging from their dark hiding places.

"And so it begins…" Bruce sighed.

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><p><strong>like fail, i wrote this right after having lunch with my grand-parents. i seriously had no idea what was going to happen before they started fighting...<strong>

**huge date gap, sorry!**

**oh yeah, just want to say thanks to my faithful reviewer: WinnerTakesAll. seriously, you're my sole reason for continuing.**


	11. Chapter 10

**this was so much fun to write. one more chapter, and then on to the sequel! if i have the patience.**

**_tip: don't get into facebook fights while on an adrenalin rush. seriously, i have no self-esteem right now._**

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><p><em><span>Twenty minutes until the full moon.<span>_

There were more then expected, small groups quickly turning into one large wave that seemed to know exactly what to do. The signals passed through them in a wave, as if silently ordering them to take position.

Brother Blood, in his long robes, stepped forward, followed by a large, burly man name Mammoth. Trailing behind them was Madame Rouge, who snapped at her follower, Cheshire, and left the chastised girl with the army.

"Bruce, old friend, must it really come to this?" he asked, although his eyes glinted with a calm blood thirst. "You could always just hand her over. Save your family from certain doom…" his eyes drifted over them.

Garfield barked warningly, stepping in front of them and pushing on Blood's legs as if to tell him to stay back.

"Stupid dog." He spat, kicking the dark canine to the side. With a yelp, Garfield flew into Victor, who glared at his old enemy as his friend shook the snow from his fur. "So what do you say?"

"No." Dick dead-panned.

"You_ are not thinking clearly Richard… stop letting petty emotions get in your way." _Madame Rouge said in her thick accent.

"No." he repeated, a little louder this time.

"So be it… Old friend?" Brother Blood turned to Bruce, who stood stoic through the entire exchange.

"I must agree with Richard." Brother Blood sighed loudly, shaking his head. Turning his back to Bruce, he walked through the ever growing sea of white and nodded to Mammoth, who bellowed orders to the creatures. The evil glint in their eyes reflected in every pair, showing to the world what they really were. Monsters.

_Fifteen minutes until the full moon._

Kori screeched, feeling as though she was going to overflow. Alice nodded, understanding what was wrong. At the moment, Kori kicked out her feet, feeling so restless that she twisted in ways she didn't think possible.

Her stomach was doing back flips and her nerves tingled. The adrenalin rush was intense and making her edgy. Slamming her head against the wall, she pressed hard against it, arching her chest upwards.

"Okay then, don't break your neck. That would be bad." Alice said, placing her hand on Kori's shoulder. "Only a few more hours, then it'll go away…"

"A few more hours? I do not think I will survive these few minutes." She wailed, standing up and pacing.

A low, feral growl sounded from outside the door. Bree was obviously trying to warn them of something.

"The fight is starting." Alice tensed, before clearing her throat and sitting the pacing girl back in her seat. She would protect Kori from them… from the monsters.

_Ten minutes until midnight_

Dick slammed his arm into someone's stomach, forcing them into another. He couldn't tell the difference. They were all one swarm, moving together, fighting together. They had done worse damage to him then he managed to do to them. He punched one in the face, feeling the porcelain_ crack_ when his fist connected with its nose. His attacker was sent stumbling blindly as he clutched his nose.

Suddenly, the ground vanished as Dick was picked up and thrown across the wave. They reached up, grasping onto him and pulling him down into the dark wave. Already covered on bite marks, Dick didn't want to lose a limb. Wrenching his arm free, he threw a punch at one randomly, knocking over two in the process.

He spotted some fall to the ground as their knees gave way, and were pulled back by some strange fighter, but Dick didn't care. Better for him.

Another signal, another tactic. As they pressed together like a wall, he noticed Billy, closely followed by his twin, Billy. Launching blindly, he managed to grab hold of someone's shoulder, tearing out a chunk of marble skin. He could hear some cries for help as more were dragged to the ground by this un-seen friend. Or was it a foe?

Someone kicked his, knocking him into a thin, skinny man. His hair was a gray-white and his eyes old with age, somehow calm in the never ending sea of fangs and snarls. The old man moved quickly, and back-handed Dick across the face. Dick could've sworn he'd heard his jaw crack.

Clutching his jaw to keep it from setting wrong, he tried to fight off the attacks that seemed to be coming from everywhere. Chaos ensued as the old man grabbed hold of Dick's collar. Breathing in the boy's face, he opened his mouth to reveal ice-white fangs that were so long the curved slightly. Dick shut his eyes, and waited for his head to be torn off.

_Five minutes until mid-night._

Garfield felt his pulse quicken. This was it! He could feel it in his veins. He snapped blindly at legs, swirling around, dodging on his four feet to try and escape the kicks that could easily snap his spine.

If only Dad could see him now. He used to be called 'use-less' by his father. But not anymore. He was a part of something, and fighting to protect it. His adrenalin spiked as he leaped on one, digging his teeth deep in the flesh before tearing out a chunk. The lost skin left the monsters ribcage exposed, along with his stomach. The dead thud of his heart higher up signalled that he was close to killing it.

In a moment of blind, adrenaline fuelled rage, he slammed his fore-paws down on its chest, smashing the chest so it went con-cave. The ice heart shattered under his paws.

He, Garfield Logan, the innocent puppy left abandoned on the side of the road, had just killed.

_One minute until mid-night._

Something had yanked the old man off of Dick, and was dragging it back to the trees. The small form slammed him into the tree, forcing the poor birch to crack. White wood splinters flew everywhere as she hissed in his face, making him growl in return.

Someone spun him around, shaking him out of his trance. Dick raised his hand with lightning speed to break his attackers jaw when-

"Dude, careful." Wally said, pointing with his thumb over his shoulder. "I just saved your butt. Seriously stop day-dreaming." Laughed the wind as it raced off to the recovering creatures. Dick shook his head. _Right._ He chastised himself _no day-dreaming._

_Mid-night._

Garfield felt his chest swell and his muscles lock. His hind legs grew longer to those of a human, although he was still in wolf form. He felt his paws grow into more humanoid fingers and his claws extend. Standing up on hind legs, he found himself perfectly balanced.

Leaning back, he howled loudly, feeling more invigorated than ever. He was no longer a runt, towering above most at about seven and a half feet tall. Taking a wobbly step forward, he threw one to the side, watching it take down more. A terrifying grin spread wide across his face as he howled again, stomping back into battle.

_Ten minutes after mid-night._

Bruce tried his best to guard the door, but he was over-whelmed when about five young vampires covered him. Washing over him like a wave, he toppled to the ground, tearing one off only for it to be replaced with two more.

Through the throng of battling bodies, he could just make out Brother Blood striding confidently over his thrashing attempt to get the writhing attackers off him.

Brother Blood was followed by Madame Rouge, whose smiling apprentice followed closely behind. Gizmo, who'd lasted all of on e day, was killed for being useless, and replaced almost instantly by the girl with a Cheshire grin. Although she surely wouldn't last long, seeing as they didn't get along very well.

"_Stop smiling!" _Rouge snapped, her red eyes glowering in fury.

"Blood…" Bree hissed, knocking on the door to notify her friends of the impending threat. It was hard to not notice the over-whelming smell of human that wafted from the room. That and the painful shuffling noises coming from the pacing girl.

"Move." Brother Blood ordered.

"no." she growled, clenching her hands into fists. But she was knocked to the side easily like a ragdoll. The smiling apprentice leapt on her, holding her down and smashing her face into the ground.

"There, there kitty." She smiled.

_Twenty-five minutes after mid-night._

The door splintered as the final kick broke it in half. Alice breathed in deeply and began singing a melodic tune, moving with snake-like charm and grace.

"Human." He snarled, although his eyes with glazed over in a dream-like trance, he stepped forward threateningly. His steps wobbled and his eyelids slowly began to droop…

"_No!"_ Madame Rouge ordered, launching herself at the Siren. Kori cried out as Rouge's fangs buried themselves in Alice's flesh. A small stream of blood drizzled from the vampire's lips as Alice's song abruptly changed to a gurgling squeal.

Kori's screeches grew louder until they made her head hurt. Her wails of terror quickly paralyzed Madame Rouge, whose jaw unlocked from Alice's neck. Both fell to the ground, as one convulsed in a rapidly growing puddle of satin red.

Someone rushed in and wrapped their hand around her mouth, staring her in the eyes. Raven's purple eyes calmed Kori slightly, but her terror filled whimpers never ceased.

_Thirty minutes after mid-night._

The Wave began to panic. Wails and cries were spilling out of the house, paralyzing those who were close to it. The signals were mixed up along the way and some began tot turn on themselves.

"It's nothing personal…" the strange figure sing-songed as she kicked Mammoth with surprising force. The large man tumbled as she swept his feet out from under him.

"Wally, cover me?" he called.

"Of course!" he called. The waves began to twist in strange, parting groups as they tumbled to run away.

But the figure was there first, tearing Billy down at throwing him to the ground.

"Why hello there…" Wally smiled. The girl stopped, not turning to acknowledge him, and nodded, racing off to fight. "Who's the cute fighter?"

"Dick?"

_Thirty-five minutes after midnight._

"Kori!" Dick called, racing down the hallway. Raven stood over Alice, whose eyes had glazed over, although she was still breathing. "Jay!" Raven held him back, pushing him towards Kori. He noticed the crumpled bodies or Blood and Rouge, who were currently lying in a heap in the corner.

"Kori…" she instinctively curled towards him, grabbing his torn shirt collar and hugging him close.

"Please, do not leave me… never leave me…" she sobbed.

"I won't… I promise." He said, holding her protectively against his chest. But over her shoulder, he could see Alice, lying on the floor bleeding to death as she transformed. He could still remember the creature Bree had explained, spewing pus and venom and reeking of bile and rot. Would that happen to his innocent Mockingjay?

He could see the crumpled bodies stirring, and he instantly stiffened. But Bree was there before he could tear their throats out. She threw a few lighted matches on the pile, watching as the pile quickly illuminated the already bright room harshly. Dark tendrils of smoke curled up almost instantly as the pungent smell hit them.

"Gross…" She curled up her nose.

Kori's eyes flickered closed for a second, but were brought back open as the smoky smell began to choke them.

"Richard…" she groaned, hugging him closer.

"I know…" he cooed softly, looking down the hall. The room was beginning to fill with smoke, and he knew they couldn't stay for long. But could he risk going down the hall? Would more be waiting outside for him?

Taking his chances, he sprinted through the black smog, tearing open the door to the stairwell with one hand. Somehow, Raven had snuck in ahead of him, and he could see her trying to keep her mouth shut. Alice was leaving a trail of scarlet behind her.

"Kori, I need you to stay awake… Star?" but she didn't answer, instead just curling up against his chest. Nuzzling him like a cat would, she mumbled something and fell back to sleep.

Through the windows he could see the confused vampires, stumbling blindly as the hold Brother Blood had snapped in two. Some crumpled to the floor while others raged on. But without orders, they were quickly diminishing to small un-organised punches. Quickly taken care of with a punch or a snarl, they seemed to just be following each other, screeching in fear.

_Forty-five minutes after mid-night._

"Dick…" Kori mumbled. Opening one eye slowly, she could just make out Richards dark form. He was pulling on a jacket, _why? _She thought. He was holding car keys as well…

But her eyelids were so heavy… couldn't she just sleep a little longer.

"It's okay, just go back to sleep." He whispered. She smiled slightly before closing her eyes.

The last thing she felt, was his lips pressed against her forehead, and then everything was numb.

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><p><strong>What now? <strong>

**i got yo' nose. review to get it back ;)**


	12. Chapter 11

**sadly, this is so short, it's not even considered a chapter.**

**/hides from tomatoes.**

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><p>Kori stretched out, opening her eyes meekly before yawning. Suddenly jerking out of bed, she searched frantically for a moment.<p>

Where was she? Where was her silk quilt? And the pillows she'd always had too many of? Calming down, she realised that she was at home, sitting on her bed with her legs dangling off the edge. Her familiar blue walls calmed her racing heart.

Was it all a dream? The un-believable few days had surely been a dream. Probably just because of the stress of the anniversary of her parents.

A small beige dog with curly fur leapt on the bed, shaking her from her thoughts. "Yipp yipp!" he barked happily.

"Hello Silkie! I am pleased to see you too!" Kori squealed happily. His fur was still slightly damp from fresh snow.

"Sister dear, how would you like to skip school to spend the day in the snow?" Koma called cheerily. Kori sat there weighing her options before cheerily agreeing.

"coming, sister dearest!" she threw on some clothes, bounding down the stairs, failing to notice the blood red rose lying on her dresser.

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><p><strong>Stay tuned for 'Dark cold and wet' the second in the series.<strong>


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